1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to new and novel improvements in motor vehicles, and more particularly to a heavy duty vehicle such as a tractor-trailer truck combination.
2. Statement of the Prior Art
It has heretofore been proposed to provide removable sub-chassis assemblies for motor vehicles. Examples of prior patented arrangements in the field include the following U.S. patents:
Patent No. Patentee Issued ______________________________________ 1,198,388 Winslow Sept. 12, 1916 1,484,474 Cross Feb. 19, 1924 1,855,642 Masury Apr. 26, 1932 1,948,744 Curtiss Feb. 27, 1934 1,962,937 Richman June 12, 1934 1,975,366 Linderman Oct. 2, 1934 2,260,804 Dunham Oct. 28, 1941 2,480,047 Reinhard Aug. 23, 1949 2,531,268 Herrington Nov. 21, 1950 2,751,992 Nallinger June 26, 1956 ______________________________________
The foregoing illustrative patents show that prior attempts to provide a removable vehicle chassis sub-frame have been concerned principally with engines mounted either at the forward or rear end of the chassis, thereby imposing the weight of the engine and transmission principally on either a forward or a rear axle.